UCA Rochester

Hi all!

Well a few days ago I went to the UCA open day at Rochester. I had a great time. I have been thinking for a while that I want take my skills in jewellery making further, so I started looking at university courses. I found a fantastic course at the University of Creative Arts Rochester campas. Its their BA (Hons) Silversmithing, Goldsmithing & Jewellery


These fantastic pieces were made by Rebbecca Lee, one of their former students on the course I want to take.

While I was there I had the chance to check out the Degree show. It was AMAZING and totally blew me away! The standards are so high, you can see exactly why this course as an excellent reputation within the industry. Everyone was very helpful and answered all of my many Q's lol. I also talked to a few of the third year students who's work was on display, their enthusiasm and passion was obvious. They told me about what their experiences were like, and how they have found it over the last three years.

Another very good part of the course is that there is a business element that runs through it too. Building up and excellent CV, finding contacts within the industry and work experience all feature. A lot of the final year students i spoke to had already been offered a job, some more than one!

I can honestly say that I really enjoyed my time at the open day. I found it to be very informative, and it has definitely whetted my appetite! I will certainly be applying in November, and will hopefully be starting in the September of next year, And I can't wait!! :D

Has anyone seen my Mojo??

Wow, OK, so its been a while huh?

After the wedding I decided to have a bit of a break for a week or too, but it turned out to be a bit longer than expected! I seem to have lost my mojo :0( so things have been a bit slow for a few weeks. Hopefully that's all starting to change now. I have myself a bit of a kick up the bum the other day and forced myself to sit down and make something, anything! It didn't matter what. I had no ideas for anything new so I went for a re-do. A while ago I bought this tutorial from JewelryLessons.com. I love to make these little beads, and they are so much fun. Also I thought that as I have made some already it would be easy to get into. Here are the two pairs of earrings I made with them.



The top pair I have used some glass pearls and Czech glass, and in the second pair I have used light and dark Amazonite, a some opal Czech glass. Both pairs are hung on handmade sterling silver ear wires and headpins.

Hopefully tomorrow I will have time to sit down and try and make something new. I don't know why its so hard at the moment. Do you ever have spells of not making things? If so how do you get over them? I would love any ideas :0)

Kaylie x